European Super League: Boris Johnson ‘met Manchester United chief Ed Woodward days before launch’

Downing Street should release minutes of a meeting involving Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward just days before the European Super League was launched, Labour has said.

Mr Woodward was introduced to the Prime Minister following a meeting with No 10 chief of staff Dan Rosenfield on Wednesday last week, The Independent reports.

Downing Street insiders told the Press Association that the talks did not cover the breakaway European competition and “the Prime Minister was not in that meeting”.

The news about the Super League, involving Manchester United and five other English teams along with clubs in Spain and Italy, emerged on Sunday night.

What Labour has said

Shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens said: “The Prime Minister and his ministers made very public and vocal condemnation of the European Super League.

“The public would therefore expect the same message to have been delivered in any private meetings.

“Downing Street should release the minutes in order to clear up any confusion and avoid accusations of hypocrisy.”

Talks ‘around Covid restrictions and return of fans to stadiums’

The Independent reported Manchester United sources said that Mr Woodward’s talks with Mr Rosenfield were “around Covid restrictions and the return of fans to stadiums”.

The proposed league swiftly and spectacularly unravelled and Manchester United announced Mr Woodward would leave by the end of the year following a backlash by fans, the football authorities and the Government.

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